As hurricane season coincides with the summer beach season, be cautious of ocean rip currents during vacations at your family’s favorite beach.
Rip currents are powerful, channeled currents of water flowing away from shores. These deadly waves can occur at any beach, including the Great Lakes.
It does not matter if a hurricane is many miles away; rip currents from the hurricane can cause high waves at your local beach. These big, crashing waves may look perfect for surfing and summer-time fun, but they are life-threatening hazards.
More than 100 drownings due to rip currents occur every year in the United States, according to The Weather Channel. Rip currents even kill more people in Florida than lightning, according to Erik Salna, associate director at FIU’s International Hurricane Research Center.
To prevent coming in contact with rip currents, the greatest safety precaution to take is recognizing the danger of these waves and swimming at beaches when lifeguards are present.
While at the beach, you can avoid rip currents by recognizing channels of churning, choppy water. Differently colored water beyond surf zones and lines of sea foam, seaweed or debris moving seaward are also rip current characteristics. Also be sure to notice breaks in the incoming wave pattern as the waves come ashore.
If you are trapped in a rip current, do not fight the wave. Go with the flow of the current and wait for help. Conserve your energy, remain calm, breathe and float. There is no wave flow under rip currents, so you can easily float in the current. If the current is weak, swim parallel to the shore and then perpendicular once the current releases you.
Always be smart and aware of beach forecasts before vacationing. Remember to check local beach forecasts at the National Weather Service website.
